Author: Munro Stewart

I wonder if Apple may end up with a MacBook lineup which mirrors the current iPad lineup, with a 12" MacBook mini and 5 total devices including a super budget device. There would be no 15" MacBook, which goes against some currently suggested rumors.

iPad

• iPad Pro - Large and Small - 12.9" and 11"
• iPad Air - Large - 10.9"
• iPad mini - Small - 8.3"
• "iPad" - Cheap - 10.2": Older design with newish internals

MacBook?

• MacBook Pro - Large and Small - 16.2" and 14.2"
• MacBook Air - Large - 13.6"
• MacBook mini - Small - ~12.2"
• "MacBook" - Cheap - 13.3": Older design with newish internals

Why

• So there are only 2 size choices of the mainstream SKU, Air and mini
• So there is an ultraportable mainstream 12" MacBook with good performance
• So there is a super budget device, but not way too many different choices
• "MacBook" could be old design with updated internals at budget price
• MacBook Air and mini reach main customers who want very portable Mac
• Budget "MacBook" SE would reach budget customers who just want Mac

I wonder if ilog, short for minilog, would be a better name for short form micro blogs like Twitter and Instagram which either limit posts to media or limit the amount of text characters used in posts.

Why

• Instead of blogging, we could shorten it to ilogging instead of microblogging
• Filename extension .ilog could potentially be used for minilogs and micro blogs
• The prefix mini is used to mean it is a minimum or minimal style log
• Ironically, miniblogs impose a maximum amount of characters for posts

Options

• ilog - Short for mini
• Minilog
• olog - Short for micro
• Microlog
• elog - Short for line
• Linelog
• Memlog - Short for memo or memory
• Memolog
• Linlog - Short for line
• Linelog
• Minlog - Short for mini
• Minilog

I wonder if TextExpander should offer both a single purchase that includes all features offline, and a separate but optional subscription purchase, that includes an online account with cloud syncing.

What

• Single purchase for all main features
• Subscription purchase for cloud sync features
• Single purchase includes all features without account
• Subscription includes saving and syncing settings with account

Why

• Have more happy users and positive reviews
• Get many more users for network effect
• Still have recurring revenue from power users
• Make versions 2, 3, etc. for single purchase upgrade strategy

I wonder if Apple WWDC 2022 might not include the release of the newly redesigned consumer MacBook or Mac mini.

Notes

• I have an alternate idea about the products that could be announced at Apple's WWDC 2022 event, as we often expect things earlier than they arrive, like people thinking M2 could come in spring 2022, a flat Watch in 2021, or a redesigned flat back iPhone in 2022.
• Since the new MacBook and Mac mini are giant updates to decade old designs, I wonder if it could make sense to only release a MacBook Pro sans notch and a larger iMac with 5nm M1X/M2 in 2Q22, and leave the new MacBook and Mac mini for the 3nm M2/M3 with ARMv9 for around 1Q23.
• The new Mac Pro with the most powerful chip Apple will make could then be the star of the show, as long as it is ready to be released. The Mac Pro and iMac are more developer focused devices anyway, as opposed to the MacBook and Mac mini, which are targeted more at consumers.
• Rebranding or naming of products is much tougher to guess, but I wonder if there is at least a chance that the Mac Pro could be renamed to something else, based on the Mac Studio being released with a new name earlier this year, and including the M1 Pro chip.

Update - June 4th

• While my alternative guess is that the newly redesigned MacBook and Mac mini could wait until 2023 for the 3nm M1-series chip, I will add that maybe they could still release an updated MacBook Air with the old design, instead of the new colorful design.
• Since the potential third generation 5nm M1X/M2 chip for this year may not be a big enough upgrade for the new design, they could release both the MacBook and MacBook Pro this year in the old designs, which they used for the original M1 Macs from late 2020.

Previously:

@gruber I wonder if Apple could make their next iMac and consumer oriented display to each have a design with a 30 inch 6K screen, a resolution of 5760 x 3240 with 220 PPI, and a 60Hz IPS screen without Mini-LED and likely without 120Hz ProMotion. [Link]

They could. But why would they? I don’t see them making standalone displays that aren’t technically excellent, and that means ProMotion and probably Mini LED.

— John Gruber (@gruber) February 23, 2022

TLDR

• What size would you choose to make the larger iMac?
• I somewhat agree with your point about Pro displays
• Why would they? Larger than 27", consumer price, etc.
• Should they? Yes, according to me it's the best option
• Will they? Probably not
• Who's on first? Yes

Why 30" iMac?

• Larger than previous 27" size started in 2009
• Proportionally larger as new 24" is over 22"
• Wider horizontal resolution at 1620 over 1440
• Keeps the same 220 PPI retina resolution
• Creates 6K 5760 x 3240 standard
• Created 2K 2560 x 1440 standard

Why 30" Consumer Display?

• I agree they could leave this to others or have 120Hz
• But, allows lower cost than Pro XDRs for consumer Macs
• They DO make a consumer level of most products
• Makes a good match for all M1 Macs and forward
• Matching single or dual 24" and 30" - 27" and 32" Pro
• M1 supports up to 6K and 60Hz

Why Not 32"?

• OK, you got me there
• But, 6K at 5760 x 3240 would be a good standard
• Maybe others would also make 30" at 6K
• Could be considered upgrade to industry 27" at 4K
• In 2009, others embraced 27" 2K at 2560 x 1440
• Others haven't embraced 27" 5K or 32" 6K thus far

Why Consumer Display And Products?

• iMac, MacBook Air, Mac mini - Displays to match?
• iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad
• iPhone, iPhone mini, iPhone SE
• AirPods, HomePod mini, iPod Touch
• Apple TV 4K, Apple TV, Apple Watch SE
• iPad screen isn't technically excellent like Pro XDR, for instance

Lineup

• Suggested consumer and pro lineup of Macs and Displays
• Larger sizes for both iMacs and possible consumer displays
• iMac - 24" and 30" - Same display tech as Apple Display
• Apple Display - 24" and 30" - 60Hz IPS LED for now
• Mac Pro - Mac Pro and Mac Pro Max - Mac Pro "mini"?
• Apple Display Pro - 27" and 32" - 120Hz Mini-LED for now

More reasons in original post with idea for 30" 6K iMac and display

I wonder if Apple could make their next large-size iMac and consumer oriented display to each have a design with a 30 inch 6K screen, a resolution of 5760 x 3240 with 220 PPI, and a 60Hz IPS screen without Mini-LED and likely without 120Hz ProMotion.

Devices

• 30" iMac
• 30" Apple Display

Specs

• 30 inches
• 6K display
• 5760 x 3240
• 220 PPI
• IPS - No Mini-LED
• 60Hz - No 120Hz - Maybe though

Notes

• 2000:1 Contrast - LG's new "IPS Black" technology
• 60Hz IPS - No Mini-LED and likely no 120Hz ProMotion
• Regular iMac only at 30", not an iMac Pro
• Space Gray or Black color option unlike earlier 24" iMac
• No iMac Pro with higher cost and pro features
• No Mini-LED and likely no 120Hz ProMotion

Whys

• Larger than 27" similar to new 24" being larger than old 22"
• Get larger screen but still smaller than 32" Pro XDR Display
• Targets approximate retina 220 PPI just like 24" and 27" iMacs
• Lower cost without Mini-LED and 120 Hz "Pro" features
• iMac Pro isn't needed because Mac Pro box and 32" XDR Display
• Matching 30" iMac and display at reasonable consumer prices

Lineup - Added February 24th

• Suggested consumer and pro lineup of Macs and Displays
• Larger sizes for both iMacs and possible consumer displays
• iMac - 24" and 30" - Same display tech as Apple Display
• Apple Display - 24" and 30" - 60Hz IPS LED for now
• Mac Pro - Mac Pro and Mac Pro Max - Mac Pro "mini"?
• Apple Display Pro - 27" and 32" - 120Hz Mini-LED for now

Reply To: John Gruber “But Why Would they?”

I wonder if it will ultimately be tablets, and not phones at all, that will be primarily redesigned in their best and most common form to be foldable.

Notes

• They would open up similar to a book with the screen only on the inside, but most importantly have a much larger single screen when flipped into portrait orientation like a tablet when opened.
• They would also fit in a much smaller space so that a tablet opened up to be about 9 inches, like an iPad mini, could fit in your pocket while being wider and shorter than a typical phone when closed.
• They would not have any screen on the outside to function like a phone, but would be designed more like a book or notebook, with the screen fully protected inside the device when closed.

Could Apple announce or release these unlikely products at their second fall event of 2021 or in the future? Here are some quick guesses and a few key details for some unlikely products I wonder about Apple announcing if they have a second or third fall event in 2021.

Products

• 14" MacBook or MacBook Air - M2
• 30-32" iMac - M2
• 24" and 30-32" Apple Displays
• AirPods 3

Future

• 12" MacBook mini - M2
• 14" MacBook Pro - M2X. Mini-LED.
• 16" MacBook Pro - M2X. Mini-LED.
• 40-80" Apple TV - M2. Mini-LED. 55" and 75"?

Thoughts

• Many of you likely know what the rumors are currently.
• So I understand that the rumors are currently suggesting the MacBook Pro and maybe Mac mini will likely come first this fall, possibly with an M1X chip.
• Then, sometime next year the MacBook Air would be released and a larger iMac.
• I just like to think a little different.
• I like to try and guess what might not be currently predicted or most rumored at the time.
• So here are some alternative ideas and thoughts for products they could release next based on my haphazard analysis.
• I'm also skeptical that the lower tier MacBook Air will include Mini-LED in its next release, as is being rumored.
• To keep costs down and differentiate their products, I would guess that Apple continues to leave Mini-LED for their Pro level products only.
• I wonder if this strategy could be the plan even for the MacBooks for at least the next release, and maybe more.